Ngoma Center for Dance
Public records show a registered, tax-exempt organization in good standing.
What it says it does
Ngoma Center for Dance N-Go-mah is a 501c3 whose mission is to cultivate equitable opportunities and creative career pathways through professional training essential performance and entrepreneurship development.
- Income
- $490,664
- Spending
- $454,744
- Spent on programs
- 62%
- Reserves
- 7.2 months of spending
- Largest source of income
- donations and private grants, 95%
- Employees
- 0
- Volunteers
- 8
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Financial health
Good: 72 out of 100. Higher than 45% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Reserves
28 of 35Spendable reserves would cover 7.2 months of spending.
Debt
16 of 20It owes 16% of what it owns.
Living within its means
15 of 15Income exceeded spending by 7% of income.
Income trend
5 of 15Income fell 24% on the year before.
Spending floor
8 of 1562% of spending went to programs and raising each dollar of donations cost 0 cents.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Governance
Fair: 68 out of 100. Higher than 44% of charities in its peer group (arts and culture, $250k to $1m).
Independent board
5 of 250 of 9 voting board members are independent.
Conflict of interest policy
15 of 15Has a written conflict of interest policy.
Whistleblower policy
8 of 8Has a written whistleblower policy.
Record keeping policy
0 of 7Reports no written policy on keeping and destroying records.
Board minutes
5 of 5Keeps minutes of board meetings.
Board sees the tax return
10 of 10Gave the board a copy of this return before filing it.
Independent check of accounts
12 of 15Its accounts were reviewed or compiled by an independent accountant, but not audited.
No reported misuse
10 of 10Reports no diversion of assets, excess benefits or loans to insiders.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Impact evidence
Describes programs. Its tax return describes what it does but we have found no measurable results in it.
Programs described in its return (3)
- $199,328 spent. The official school of Dissonance Dance Theatre DCs Only African-American managed and nationally-recognized contemporary ballet. Serving over 200 students annually since 2014 The Ngoma School is emerging as a Washington DC area dance-school destination for students interested in a professional concert dance career. Ngoma serves students as young as five years old to young adults who received a late start to their professional dance training. Dance classes workshops masterclasses and auditions are facilitated at Univ of Maryland College Park. FY2024 - In 2024 the Ngoma School served a diverse student population from across Washington DC Montgomery County MD and Prince Georges County MD. Making dance education accessible to all remains central to the schools mission with 75% of students receiving financial assistance through various scholarship programs and tuition reduction initiatives. Additionally 2024 Ngoma School alumni have been accepted to and begun their higher education journeys at distinguished institutions including Howard University and Virginia State University demonstrating the programs success in preparing students for both professional and academic advancement.
- $56,610 spent. DDT is the Resident Ballet of Ngoma Center for Dance. Named One of the 11 small-but-mighty dance companies outside of LA and NYC by Dance Spirit Magazine Dissonance Dance Theatre is a Washington DC-based professional dance company founded in 2007 by Shawn Short. Since its inception Dissonance Dance Theatre has performed for local and national audiences on the east coast and midwest states. Evoking emotional experiences in the audiences we touch Dissonances cutting-edge repertoire features works that are socially and visually appealing to audiences while remaining true to its mission; challenging the audiences assumptions about the human experience through dance. FY2024 Ngoma provided hours of pro bono consultation to Black-led The Creative Space and Textures Dance Theater. Next Ngomas Dissonance Dance Theatre becomes a Resident Arts Partner with Atlas Performing Arts Center after 16 years of arts impact and engagement. Also Ngoma attended and adjudicated at the International Association of Blacks in Dance 35th annual conference in Memphis TN providing 60 youth scholarships and eight professional contracts to dancers. For a second year Ngoma continued to work with Joy of Motion Dance Center H Street as they provided Dissonance Dance Theatre rehearsal space operations. Second Dissonance Dance Theatre DDT celebrates its 16th season. DDTs Resident Choreographer Kareem B. Goodwin becomes a Princess Grace Award Nominee NYC in Choreography. Ngoma provided $11,000 in artist housing assistance and more than $80,000 in artist fees and hired and petitioned its first cast of international dancers. Ngoma successfully completes its first dance medicine program for company dancers - a rarity in Washington DC. For the second time Dissonance Dance Theatre makes Dance Data Projects Largest 150 US Ballet Classically Based Company list!
- $25,000 spent. Since 2020 Ngoma Center for Dances newest program Ngoma Film Works has been buzzing with new its latest productions. In partnerships with Dog Bark Media LLC a Black-Owned media company in Washington DC Ngoma Film Works initial projects have received selection in more than 10 film festivals - including American Dance Festivals Movies By Movers. FY202 - In 2024 Ngoma worked with LA-based SMV - a post-production house in Burbank - to remastered the $156K film to improve sound quality and subtle imperfections. After several months of meetings and diligent video editing work SMV provided a remastered f ilm ready for digital streaming. Company D is now available for pay-preview on Ngomas website.
Source: Form 990 for the year ending December 31, 2025, filed with the Internal Revenue Service. Rating method 2026.2. How we rate
Legitimacy checks
Is it registered with the IRS? Passed.
Listed in the IRS master file of tax-exempt organizations as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Has the IRS revoked its tax-exempt status? Passed.
Not on the IRS automatic revocation list.
Source: Automatic revocation of exemption list, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 30, 2026.
Are donations tax-deductible? Passed.
On the IRS list of organizations eligible to receive tax-deductible contributions.
Source: Publication 78 data: organizations eligible for tax-deductible contributions, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 10, 2026.
Is it keeping up with its IRS filings? Passed.
Most recent return on file covers the year ending December 2025.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
How long has it been tax-exempt? Passed.
Recognized by the IRS since March 2013.
Source: Exempt Organizations Business Master File, Internal Revenue Service, file dated September 7, 2026.
Is it in good standing with state regulators? Passed.
Not on California's list of charities barred from soliciting. Other states are not yet checked.
Source: May Not Operate or Solicit for Charitable Purposes list, California Attorney General, Registry of Charities and Fundraisers, file dated October 7, 2026.
Ratings and checks are our reading of public records, using the published method. They are not a statement about anyone's honesty. If you work for this organization, you can send corrections or results, confirm you want gifts through Veridonate, or ask to be removed from giving.